


Tales of the Monk

by Optimus95



Category: Cursed (TV 2020), Cursed - Thomas Wheeler
Genre: Child Abuse, Childhood Memories, Father Figures, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Nimue mentioned, Pain and torture, Post Season 1, Religious Zealots, Tough Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:40:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28463262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Optimus95/pseuds/Optimus95
Summary: After fleeing the Paladin camp with young Percival, Lancelot has only mission left in his life; to take the small boy back to his Fey clan before his wounds kills him. Like everyone else Percival wants to know everything about his new found best friend to much of his annoyance
Relationships: Father Carden/The Weeping Monk | Lancelot (Cursed), Lancelot/Percival, Nimue & Squirrel | Percival & The Weeping Monk | Lancelot (Cursed)
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

The slow steady ride on the back of Goliath with Percival was sending me in and out of consciousness, the cuts ran deep inside of my body and I urgently needed a healer. I could heal myself with some herbs but there was none around for miles. I was sure I was going to die at the hands of the Trinity Guards in the Paladin camp but yet I somehow managed to fight my way through and escape with Percival 

The journey had been long on horseback and we didn’t have the faintest of idea in which direction to travel too, It would be a tough ask to find his Fey clan but I didn’t doubt my tracking abilities; it would just take days to find them again 

Young Percival was telling me all about his Fey clan; the Sky Folk. When I looked at the boy I only saw a lot of similarities between the two of us, both of us raised as orphans from a young age and relying on our clan for support. The only difference what that Percival was accepted into his and well looked after, I was cast asunder by the Ash Folk for being different to them with the cursed abilities I was given at a young age 

‘I can’t wait to see everyone again’ the boy replied happily. ‘It feels like ages that I’ve been away from them when it’s only been days’

‘I’m sure they’ll be glad to know that you’re safe’

‘I bet Nimue has been worried sick about me she always does when I leave the clan for a while’

‘Who’ 

‘The Fey Queen’

‘The Wolf Blood Witch’ I exclaimed, remembering hearing that name before from Father Carden

‘Nimue isn’t a witch okay’ Percival huffed loudly 

I nodded my head and listened to young Percival as he rattled off a mental checklist to me on how amazing she was, the fey queen was a leader, warrior and a symbol of the resistance. The young boy only talked lovingly about the young woman and I was glad he had a good role model to look up too, I could never be that to somebody 

‘She’s everything to me’ he smiled 

‘How can someone be everything?’ I questioned, not fully understanding him 

‘Surely you must have looked at someone back home with only just love in your eyes at how amazing they are and you just want to be just like them’

Dropping my head I couldn’t bring myself to answer the boy as I kept my gaze on the stone path we rode down on. Percival picked up on my apprehension to reveal much about my past, that was something I kept to myself to never to reveal to anyone ever, the only sleep I could get at night was when I thought about my family as I wepted myself to sleep missing them

‘You don't really say much do you Lancelot’ 

‘Has anyone ever told you Percival you talk to much’

‘I like talking I could talk all day and I wouldn't get tired of it’ 

‘That much I can guess’ 

I loved my silence and being on my own in the world, with all the hardship I had to endure the peace of the open world was the only thing keeping me sane. Knowing the boy was just scared and wanted to talk to keep his mind busy I shouldn't treat him like I did to the rest of the world and silence him out 

‘Is there a reason why you're like this Lancelot’ 

‘You're just a child Percival, I shouldn't be bothering you with my troubles’ 

‘But we're friends’ 

‘Are we though I'm just taking you back to your clan’ 

‘You saved me from those paladins scum and I helped you from the trinity guards’ 

‘So we're even now but I still wouldn't say we’re friends’ 

‘Do you have any friends? I don't see you with anyone other than those paladin scum’ 

‘I did have friends a long time ago but they are all gone, my friends, my family, everyone that I ever cared about. They are all gone now’ 

I never really reminisced about my previous life and how everything was so different back then in the mountains. Each passing day I would forget less and less about my people and the traditions of the Ash folk. I would never forget the day Father Carden and his red paladins brothers invaded my village…..

* * *

_Busting back through the flaps of my family’s hut with my little brother Hector right behind me after a day of playing in the mountainside. Stepping over the toes of our mother and father in the living counters of the hut, my parents had managed to calm us down and sit us both down at the table_

_'Best behaviour today boys when I make my announcement to the village’ my father King Ban told us_

_‘Why do we have to move dad’ Hector asked again for the hundredth time_

_‘Because it’s not safe to stay here my son’_

_‘We’ve had word from our scouts that a threat is imminent and we need to get our people to safety’ my mother interjected_

_‘How much time do we have till they arrive, mother?’ I asked_

_‘We have a week to be gone from here Lancelot’ she informed me_

_My father kneeled down in front of me and placed both of his hands on the side of my arms, looking into his eyes I’ve never seen him this worried before in my whole life and this imminent threat must be serious_

_‘Promise me boy you’ll protect your brother and your mother if anything happens to me’_

_‘I will father’_

_‘Promise me’_

_‘I promise till my last breath’_

_My father embraced me into a deep hug before my mother Elaine and Hector joined us as well, they seemed to think we were doom and our days were up. When this threat arrives I will give everything in me to protect my family and the villagers of the Ash folk_

_‘What are these people called that are coming for our village father?’ Hector questioned, terrified out of his wits_

_‘They are religious zealots known as the Red Paladins, they are hunting our kind and loath the fey. Rumour has it they attacked a fey village up north before accessing down the land for more to kill, we’re next on their map so we need to leave right now’_

_‘Lancelot we may need you to use your abilities’_

_‘But it’s a curse father, you said so yourself’_

_‘If it’s a matter of life or death then use your gift my boy’ he encouraged proudly_

_From a young age I knew I was different from all the other boys and people is our little Ash village. I was given a little extra abilities in being able to sniff out different types of feys and being able to camouflage my body to whatever earthy surface I touched. I never really used my cursed abilities unless I was provoked to attack a fellow fey_

_Seconds later the flaps to our tent burst open and my father’s right hand man Rowan came through, he was out of breath from running from god knows where. Before Rowan could tell us what was wrong my family had soon found out when an arrow shot into his heart, killing him instantly as he collapsed to the floor_

_My mother and father grabbed both mine and my little brother’s hand quickly and dashed out of our tent, everywhere we looked it was total destruction as our small village was ransacked, Ash men and women running for their lives to be only axed or shot down by the Paladins. The screams of my people were etched into my brain as we ran for any cover to hide under in the open mountain_

_Through the clouds of smoke a young man on horseback came through as the smog evaporated, he surveyed the surroundings as my fellow ash brothers and sisters laid dead on the floor, from what I could tell he looked like the leader of the Red Paladins. My father retrieved his sword from his belt and striked at the men in red, killing a few paladins to clear a path for us to follow him and run_

_‘Quickly Hector, follow father’ I spoke hurriedly_

_‘I’m trying’ he worriedly replied_

_Grabbing my little brother’s hand and pulling him along with me I saw my father getting ambushed by the Paladins, they had disarmed him and dragged him away to the others they had captured for torture_

_‘Mother we have to go after them and save father’ I pleaded_

_‘No it’s too dangerous Lancelot, use your powers and camouflage us’_

_Taking a hold of my mother’s hand I called out to The Hidden and asked for their help to control my curse, I had no response from it and tried with all my might to camouflage us so we were not seen by the Paladins anymore. In the distant another Paladin came riding in on horseback and dragged by mother away by her hair, Hector jumped after them and was also taken by the Paladins somewhere_

_Feeling a new found rage that my family had been taken apart I finally managed to camouflage myself to an earthy green, I had to find the warriors and knights of our clan to form some sort of resistance against the Paladins. Moving to where they were keeping the Ash folk prisoners I cut the rope ties around some of the warriors_

_I saw where they had placed my family as they had their arms and legs tied up together so they couldn't run, still camouflaged I walked past Paladins and was ready to set my family free when a man grabbed me from behind, startling me as I became uncamouflaged and was at the mercy of the leader of the Red Paladins_

_‘Well what do we have here’ the young man proclaimed_

_‘Get your hands off of me’ I yelled at the top of my lungs_

_‘A fey scout trying to release my prisoners from a certain death’ he stated. ‘Perhaps you should be the first one offered to our lord’_

_‘No please leave him alone, he’s just a little boy’ my father pleaded_

_The man saw the crown on top of my father’s head and smiled wickedly before turning back to me. ‘You’re a fey prince, your head will do nicely. God is smiling on us today’’_

_‘Take my life instead just spare my boy’ he begged_

_‘Better yet your son will take your life instead, vermin getting rid of vermin’_

_The man in red brought me in front of my father and thrusted a sword in my small hands, instructing to swing at my father’s head or bury the sword deep into his heart. An overwhelming sense of tears strolled down my face, I simply couldn’t do it to my father with my people watching on. The man stood behind me and I felt the sharp tip of his sword against my neck_

_‘Choose wisely’ he instructed_

_‘It’s alright Lancelot you could never hurt me my son’_

_My father leaned his chest against the sharp point of my sword and pierced his heart, through the sword I could the blade going deep into flesh and tissue as blood started pouring out of his open wound. Withdrawing the sword from my father I threw it to the floor and held him tightly against me_

_Uproar amongst the Ash folk descended as their king was killed, a few of the Ash men retaliated against the Paladins and a mass brawl started between the groups of people. The sounds of grunts and screams bellowed on the side of the mountain….._

_My whole village was ransacked clean and a few of the women were burnt to death on a cross, bodies of men, women and children scattered amongst the ground. My mother and little brother Hector were caught up in the raid and were deeply injured when I found them, putting them out of the misery I ended their lives so they couldn't be tortured any more by the Paladins_

_The man in red wiped the blood off his sword clean with some water and came up to me alone, he lifted my chin up with the tip of his weapon as tears spilled down my face_

_‘And then there was one left’_

_My time in this world was up and I was about to meet my fate just like the rest of the Ash clan; to pass in the twilight. At least I would be reunited with my family soon instead of being stuck with him_

_‘I’ll spare your life boy, you may be able to help me cleanse this world of your abomination’_

_He proclaimed. ‘Hail god and all those who believe in him’_

_I was led away by the man in red to his fellow brothers whilst they cleaned themselves and their weapons up, god knows how long we stayed on the side of the mountain before Father Carden announced they would be riding to the south of England, on the hunt for another fey clan to massacre….._

* * *

Holding Percival in place on Goliath the boy was stunned silent by my tale, almost untrue to believe even to myself sometimes. Percival took the reins of Goliath and lead the noble steed onwards 

‘Are you ok Percival?’

‘Can you tell me more about your past’

‘The journey to the beach will take at least a couple of days so I think we’ve got time for it’

‘I want to know everything about my new best friend’

‘You’ll get the chance too’

The sun had started to set and the sky was filled with orange and yellow hues, it wouldn't be long before nightfall came and we had to set up camp for the night in the open forest…... 


	2. Chapter Two

Deciding to set up camp for the night in the forest I tied up Goliath to a tree so he couldn’t run off anywhere, Percival wanted to tag along with me instead of staying with Goliath to find some firewood so we could be warm tonight 

Coming back to my horse we dropped our two piles of firewood on the ground. Percival wanted to show me his hunting skills and how good he was with a bow and arrow. In no time at all the boy managed to catch a rabbit for us to feast on, setting up a camp fire I rubbed two sticks together to create the flame and light the wood

I gutted the rabbit clean and removed the fur from the animal, placing the small rabbit above the campfire to cook for a while. With my cloak removed from my body Percival picked up the garment and tried it on, the cloak pooled around his small legs and the boy pulled the hood over his head 

‘How do you wear this all day and not get tired of the look’ he huffed 

‘You don’t like it’

‘Its depressing to say the least’ Percival snorted. ‘You were apart of the Red Paladins for most of your life right’

‘That’s correct’

‘Then why did you dress up as a monk and not like a paladin like the rest of them in red’

‘I could never wear the colours of my people when I was forced to murder them’

‘How did you even get the name The Weeping Monk?’

‘Father Carden named me that after I wept myself to sleep for the first few years with him. I wasn't presented with the red robs till I earnt them but I had gotten used to what I was given’

‘Do you like the name you were given’

‘Of course I didn’t but I welcomed it, a wanted distraction to start a new identity for myself just in case anyone recognised me’ I explained. ‘Just like when someone calls you by your first name Percival, you don't like it’ 

‘I'd much rather you call me Squirrel than Percival’ he snorted, rolling his little eyes. ‘But you never did tell me why you chose to be a monk and instead of some other religion to follow’

‘Monks are known for an ascetic life by being self-disciplined and abstention from all forms of indulgence’ i explained to the boy. ‘That was the only way I knew to survive as long as I did with Carden’

‘Will you tell me more about your time with the Paladins’ Percival asked 

I nodded my head and checked on the cooking rabbit, seeing that it was fully cooked I cut up the pieces of meat on the bone and gave them to Percival to eat. From my small satchel I poured some water in a cup and placed it beside him to wash down his meal….

_ Father Carden re-entered his tent with a small knife in his hands and stood in front of me, ripping the hood from his head and dragged it down, I felt his fingers glide through my silky hair and pulled my head back.  _

_ ‘It’s time for you to join us my son’ he proclaimed  _

_ I felt the sharp tip of the knife slice across the back of my head, clearing my hair from the scalp till I feel a cold breeze wash over the bold patch Father Carden created. Without a moment's notice the knife pierced my skin and marked me, I didn’t need to see what he was carving in my skull to know it was a cross _

_ I wanted nothing more than to just cry by just the sheer pain of it, Father Carden didn’t waste any time in branding me into one of his Red Paladins _

_ ‘Now repeat after me Lancelot’ he began. ‘Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy, and repenteth him of the evil’  _

_ There was no point in questioning the man and did what I was told, anything to please him and not suffer any more cruel fates by him  _

_ ‘Do you understand what any of that means Lancelot’ _

_ ‘Not really’ fearing the worst as I might get punished again for not knowing _

_ ‘It means repenting for your sins and in the eyes of the Lord you were devil born but you can seek salvation. Help me weed his garden of vile creators like yourself and you too might be spared by the Lord’  _

_ ‘What do you want me to do...ugh’ _

_ ‘Call me father’ he proclaimed  _

_ ‘Father’ _

_ ‘Go and help Brother Salt in the kitchen with the lunch’ _

_ Finally leaving the tent after being cooped up in here for the last couple of weeks, I could walk freely around the paladin camp and meet the other religious zealous that joined Cardin in his crusade. It was safe to say I stuck out like a sore thumb by all the stares from the brothers I was receiving  _

_ After lunch Father Carden lead most of the paladins out of the camp to go on a Fey scout mission, he put his right hand man Father Cavanagh in charge of the camp as a few paladins stayed behind to do chores and replenish food supplies in the camp  _

_ Retreating back to my shared tent with Father Carden I sat down on the ground, starting a small fire in front of me I thought about a time my father could speak to the dead through the flames, something that only the Ash folk could do. _ __

_ Splaying my hands across the dirt ground I chanted a ritual that allowed me to gain the power from the fire, clearing my mind and concentrating hard I could see my father come in the flames as I established a connection with his soul _

_ ‘Father’ I whimpered  _

_ ‘Don’t cry my son I am alright’ _

_ ‘Are you with my mother and Hector?’ _

_ ‘We’re all together now and we are safe. Our whole ash clan are safe from harm now, we are even with other Fey clans’ _

_ ‘I want to be with you father now more than ever’ _

_ ‘You’re still alive my son and you can carry on our family name and the ways of the ash folk’ _

_ ‘But I can never find my soulmate now that every ash folk are dead’ _

_ ‘I know each fey tend to be joined with their own kind but it’s permissible to be joined with another from a different fey clan’ _

_ ‘Who would want to be joined with a scared little boy who is that a afraid to leave the paladin camp’ _

_ ‘You’ll know when you finally meet her Lancelot’ my mother interjected  _

_ ‘Mother’ I wept more after seeing her face again  _

_ ‘The Hidden is connected to you my son and it will guide you to your soulmate, just listen when it speaks to you’ _

_ ‘I’ve never heard anything from The Hidden before in my life’  _

_ ‘Only some can hear it and you have been chosen from our ash clan to hear it Lancelot’ _

_ ‘But what if The Hidden decides not to help me mother when I need it the most’ _

_ ‘Be patient my child and The Hidden will come to you’ _

_ ‘I don’t want it’ I cried softly. ‘All I want is to be with you, father and Hector again. I’ve had enough of learning about their god’ _

_ ‘You will one day Lancelot’ she assured me. ‘Born in the dawn’ _

_ ‘To past in the twilight’ I replied  _ __

_ ‘Never forget who you are no matter how long you’re forced to stay with them to survive Lancelot’ _

_ ‘I won’t mother’ I assured her. ‘I love you’ _

_ ‘I love you too my son’ _

_ Before I could close the connection with the soul world I was interrupted by a presence that came through the tent, Father Cavanagh was shocked to see I was using my Fey abilities to talk to my ash parents. He came marching up to me and grabbed a hold of my neck, pulling me away from the tent to some brothers in the camp to out me as a fey amongst their ranks  _

_ ‘I knew Carden was lying when he said you were his long lost son’ _

_ ‘Just let me go’ _

_ ‘You are the demons of this world and if Carden won’t dispose of your kind then I will’ _

_ I had to escape quickly from his grasp and run for my life when I got the chance, there was no chance of survival by his hand even if Father Carden came back in time to the camp. Biting into his hand Father Cavanagh cried loudly and let go of me, I ran for me life as fast as I could whilst he ordered brothers in the camp to chase after me _

_ To no avail I didn't get far away from the paladin camp and was brought back in front of Father Cavanagh. He ordered Brother Isaiah and Brother Francis to tie up my arms and legs and then start work and build a cross for me to be burned on immediately  _

_ For the time being I waited and regained my strength while the paladins in the camp got to work, It didn’t take long to get the cross ready for me to burn on. Brother Francis cut my bonds free and marched me over to the cross, I reached for his sword and took it out of his hand and twirled it a few times to give myself some space from them  _

_ I called to The Hidden with my eyes shut to give me its power and direct it to the sword in my hands, hearing whispers from The Hidden on what to do I concentrated on my abilities and made the sword glow bright red, I felt fire pass through to the weapon and I opened my eyes. In awe of what I had achieved I struck down Brother Francis and left him with a burnt gaping wound from the touch of the burning blade _

_ Of the remaining members of the Red Paladins in the camp they dared not come forward towards me, all I wanted was the head of Father Cavanagh and I would be on my way out of the camp. Raising my sword up again I was ready to go after the next hero that decided to step forward _ __

_ Someone approached me from behind and drew out their sword to fight, turning around on the spot I came face to face with Father Carden, without thinking we clashed as our sword smacked against each other. He was too skillful with the sword whilst I was trying my best to defend against his attack. Even with the sword ablaze I was no match for him as he twirled my arm around and forced the blade to get stuck in the ground; Father Carden kicked me in my chest and by the force I fell to the ground and rolled in the dirt _

_ ‘What in the hell is going on here’ he questioned angrily  _

_ ‘Father Carden I caught that abomination using fey magic in your tent’ _

_ ‘Is that right Lancelot?’  _

_ It was best if I didn’t answer him in front of the camp as they would ask for my head on a pike, daring not to lift up my gaze to Father Carden I avoid eye contact with anyone in the camp _

_ ‘I see’ Father Carden sighed deeply. ‘Lancelot go to the tent and I’ll deal with you later and the rest of my brothers, please come with me in the war tent’ _

_ Carden was ushering them all in the camp to move quickly to the tent as I made my way over to the other side of the camp to my shared tent. Looking up at Father Cavanagh he raised her hand and pointed it at me before switching to his thumb and swiping it across his neck….. _ __

_ It was nightfall by the time Father Carden came back to our tent to deal with me, the whole camp had been quiet all day and only started bustling back to life this evening when the rest of the Red Paladins had returned from an unsuccessful scout mission to find more fey hideouts.  _

_ ‘You have caused me a lot of trouble Lancelot with your demon magic’ _

_ ‘I didn’t mean too Father’ _

_ ‘I’ve taken care of our dilemma so your secret is still safe with me’ _

_ ‘Won’t the other brothers tell the rest of the camp what they know about me’ _

_ ‘They won’t if the dead can’t speak’ _

_ ‘Dead?’ _

_ ‘Try not to think about it Lancelot, they won’t bother you anymore’ _

_ Carden led me out of the tent to congregate with the rest of the paladins for supper, he was sure I was stuck to his side for the rest of the night so I couldn't get into any more trouble….. _

_ In the early hours of the morning I was awoken to join the rest of them in search of another fey hideout to ransack, it had been months since they had last managed to track one down with their limited scouting abilities. Father Carden had motioned for the rest of the troops to carry on as he had forgotten something behind in the camp _

_ The rest of the paladins carried on west in the open fields whilst we went east instead of south back to our camp. Coming into deep woodlands we dismounted our horse and tied it up to a tree, pushing past bushes the ground looked overturn in places  _

_ ‘Do you know why we are here Lancelot?’ he questioned  _

_ ‘I thought you said we're going back to the camp’ _

_ ‘Take a hard look at the ground’ he informed me. ‘This is where I buried all the brothers I had to kill yesterday because of you’ _

_ ‘Why are you showing me this’ _

_ ‘I want this to be a reminder for you of the price that hangs over your head. Theses were some of my finest men and now they are by god’s side in holy heaven’ _

_ ‘I am sorry father’ seeing the hollow graves of the men that were alive only a day ago _

_ ‘You will be sharing their fate next boy if you don’t help me locate your vile creatures hideouts’ _

_ ‘What do you want me to do?’ I questioned  _

_ ‘Father Cavanagh was our best scout to find vermin like you and I have seen your abilities when we raided your mountain. Find me a fey village in the next twenty four hours and I’ll let you live to see another day or I’ll burn you on the cross where you have failed me’  _ __

_ Going back to the horse Father Carden lifted me up onto the stallion before mounting himself up, taking the rein in my hands I tapped the side of the horse to carry on forward, trying desperately to catch up with the rest of the paladins that went west  _

_ Leading the hunt for any fey hideouts I got off the horse for clearer observation of the ground. I walked for miles in the grass without finding any clues but an odour lingered in the air that I picked upon, the smell was faint but enough for me to track it into the open forest  _

_ ‘There’s nothing here father’ one brother proclaimed  _

_ ‘Is the boy sure he knows what he’s tracking’ _

_ ‘Quiet please’ I stated loudly  _

_ By the scent in the air I could tell it was a faun that had run past the open grass fields and into the dark forest, it had only been a matter of hours since the faun had passed. Looking at the ground I found a single brown hair and picked it up, the texture was thick and it smelled just like a faun  _

_ ‘What have you found Lancelot?’ Father Carden enquired, curious to know what I had in my hand  _

_ ‘A possible lead’ _

_ Running forward into the dark forest it sucked out all of the natural light, it was hard to tell where to go in the dense forest but the odour lingered in my nostrils. Carefully tip toeing around the bushes and trees I finally found the fauns, Father Carden wasn't far behind and gasped quietly at my discovery; patting my shoulder happily as I done what he had asked for  _

_ ‘Well done my boy’ _

_ The Red Paladins marched into the forest and waited for Carden's command to start the raid on this village. Few of the fauns were stitching as they could sense someone was hiding in the forest, Carden drew out his sword and handed me a spare from his belt to help raid this village and cleanse these demons from this world  _

_ The order was giving to attack and a few archers littered the sky with arrows that came raining down on the fauns, men on horseback charged the village and threw axes at any fey they saw, causing chaos in the village as we surrounded them in with no chance of escape  _

_ ‘Go check the caves Lancelot’ he ordered  _

_ Looking into the black cave I couldn't see or hear any movement inside, calling on The Hidden I asked for its power again and felt the rush of energy through me to light up my sword in the darkness. Going through the dark passage I found a family of fauns cowering behind furniture, relieved to see it wasnt a man in red after them  _

_ ‘Are you one of them’ an oldest male faun asked  _

_ ‘How many are you in here’ I asked  _

_ Amazed by my ability to keep the sword burning fire they came out of their hiding places, knowing exactly that I couldn’t be a Red Paladin with my fey abilities. The oldest male faun stepped forward  _

_ ‘I know you don’t I’ _

_ ‘I don’t think we’ve ever met’ clearly never remembering seeing his face before in my life _

_ ‘You’re from the ash folk from the north in the mountains, your father is King Ban and leader of the ashers’ _

_ Sighing deeply I hated he knew what kind of fey I was and my family origins from the mountains, I could hear the gossip amongst different fey clan that the son of King Ban had joined the church in there crusade against them  _

_ ‘I’m Dregten, the leader of the fauns’ he introduced. ‘Your father and I were very close friends for many years. I had met you when you were born and I know you’re name is Lancelot’ _

_ ‘What else do you know about the ash folk’ _

_ ‘I had received a message weeks ago asking for refuge here in the dark forest, I agreed but never got a message back of when to expect their arrival’ he explained. ‘What became of them?’ _

_ ‘They perished at the hands of the church’ _

_ ‘Yet they keep you as their pet?’ _

_ ‘It wasn’t my choice to stay with them, it was just a means of survival’ _

_ ‘You have done well for as long as you have Lancelot. Join us and we can fight back against those paladin scum’  _

_ ‘It's not as simple as that Dregten the paladins have got the whole forest surrounded, the fauns wouldn’t get very far’  _

_ ‘But you have The Hidden with you’ _

_ ‘I have no control over the power it just comes and goes when I ask for its help’ _

_ ‘Only some are lucky enough to hear The Hidden let alone command its power through them’ _

_ ‘I’ll make a distraction for you and your family to escape Dregten, I’m sorry I can’t help the rest of the fauns’ _

_ ‘Lancelot’ a voice shouted behind me _

_ Shivering at the sound of Carden’s voice I turned around to see his sword in his scabbard, he had his bow and arrow pulled back at the ready and let aim at me instead of the fauns _

_ ‘Make your choice boy’ he scolded. ‘Kill them all now or I’ll kill you’ _

_ Dregten knew his fate for himself and his family, silently whispering to me that it would be alright if I chose to carry out his orders. With the burning sword in my hands I swiped the blade across his neck, the full force of the swing caused his head to decapitate and roll long the floor  _

_ Fey blood of the faun spilled along the burning blade, extinguishing the fire that lit up the metal weapon. I was confused that the fire managed to go out when I didn’t command the hidden to do so. I had no choice to kill the rest of Dregten’s family in the cave and put them out of unnecessary torture by the paladins  _

_ Every adult faun in the cave was dead by my hands but there was still one more being left, seeing that it was a terrified little boy I couldn’t go through with it and slay him down also. _

_ ‘No mercy Lancelot’ Carden demanded  _

_ ‘No he’s just a little boy’’ _

_ ‘I don’t care, now get on with it’ _

_ Turning around to leave the cave I would take his orders to kill every fey adult but never the children, if Carden spared my life when he took me in then I would spare every fey child I came across  _

_ Father Carden released the arrow he was holding back for an eternity, expecting the impact I closed my eyes and waited for the arrow to pierce my heart. I didn’t feel anything hit me but the short gasp behind me broke my heart, the little boy was killed in an instant by the arrow  _

_ I took the small rag out of my pocket and wiped the blood off my sword clean, The glowing sunlight blinding my vision when I stepped out of the cave, the screams of terror were gone but the joyous sounds of victory lingered the air  _

_ Faun men was slayed down with their children next to them on the ground, some of women that were chosen were burned on the cross alive as a symbol of cleansing the land of their filth to whoever came across here next  _

_ ‘You did well Lancelot’ _

_ ‘Don’t call me that anymore’ I sniffled lightly at the devastation I witnessed. ‘Was it worth it all father?’ _

_ ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding’ _

_ Father Carden presented me with my own Red Paladin outfit as I had gained his trust, taking it from his hands I moved towards the fire pit, throwing the garments onto the flames as it burned to cinders whilst I lifted my hood up and walked back to camp alone….. _

Looking up from the small campfire young Percival was amazed about my first fey ambush, so many questions were running through his mind and couldn’t pick which one to ask first

‘No more questions tonight Percival’

‘But Lancelot I want to know more’ he groaned 

‘It’s getting late and we have to get up for an early start tomorrow to gain some lost ground’ 

‘Will you tell me more stories on the ride tomorrow’

‘Of course I will but It’s time for bed’

Checking my wounds the bleeding had stopped but it had started to get infected, the colour on my body around the cuts started to change to a different shade which concerned me deeply; I desperately needed to see a healer and get this treated before I knew Percival was back safely to his family 

I took out a blanket from the satchel and draped it over Goliath as my noble steed was sound asleep on the ground. Laying down near the campfire Percival came alongside me, cuddling into the side of my chest as I without instinct dropped my arm around him protectively whilst dozing off to sleep…..


End file.
